Thud!
The next instant, Lin Fengzhi slammed the door shut, his heartbeat thundering.
Yan Heqing came out of the kitchen, acting as if nothing had happened. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Lin Fengzhi shook his head mechanically and grabbed his coat. "I just remembered something. I'd better leave tonight after all."
Without time to change, Lin Fengzhi pulled his coat straight on, hurriedly changed his shoes, then opened the door a crack and squeezed out, shutting it behind him.
Holding his warm water, Yan Heqing said nothing. He walked to the coffee table, shook out a few cough tablets, and swallowed them.
After finishing the water, he coughed softly twice.
Lin Fengzhi pulled Lu Muchi downstairs and walked on for several more minutes before stopping.
His heart was racing. He didn't know whether Lu Muchi had simply come to find him, or... had heard something.
His eldest brother was away on business, his second brother had never gotten along with Lu Muchi, and his parents wouldn't tell Lu Muchi either. But plenty of people came and went from the Lin Family home every day, and Yan Heqing had a face so much like his...
Lin Fengzhi deeply regretted inviting Yan Heqing to visit the Lin Family last time.
He watched Lu Muchi closely, tentatively probing.
"Why... did you come here to find me?"
By now, Lu Muchi had also collected himself. Apparently, Lin Fengzhi still didn't know he and Yan Heqing knew each other and had mistakenly assumed he'd come to find him.
He immediately went along with it. "I couldn't get through to your phone, so I contacted Uncle Lin. He said you were at a friend's place, so I asked for the address and came over."
Lin Fengzhi quietly breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes curving. "What's so urgent that you needed to find me?"
Lu Muchi suddenly leaned closer, his thumb settling on the bruise on Lin Fengzhi's face. "To see if your injury had healed."
There was a faint scent of tobacco on Lu Muchi's fingertips. Unlike Yan Heqing's rough hands, his were slightly cool and very smooth. For some reason, Lin Fengzhi's face warmed a little. He didn't think there was anything particularly intimate about his good friend touching his face and didn't pull away, grumbling, "I thought it was something important. It's such a little thing..."
"No matter how small something is, if it concerns you, it's important to me." Lu Muchi gazed intently at him.
Under the light, Lu Muchi's features bore some resemblance to Lu Lin's, and Lin Fengzhi was momentarily dazed.
After a moment, he blinked. "It's too late. I'm going home."
Lu Muchi nodded. "I'll take you."
Upstairs, Yan Heqing moved the white ceramic piece weighing down his book, opened it, and began reading carefully.
Once he'd read enough, Yan Heqing turned off the light and went to bed.
The next morning, while Yan Heqing was on his way to work, Lin Fengzhi called.
He still felt awkward about addressing Yan Heqing, so he simply said good morning before getting straight to the point. "I'm busy with school these next few days. I'll leave the clothes and watch at your place for now and pick them up this weekend."
He paused, hesitating, but said it anyway. "If the watch weren't a gift from a friend, I wouldn't mind giving it to you to wear."
He didn't think Yan Heqing was the sort to take advantage of others, but it was worth over a million, after all... Better give him a tactful hint first.
Yan Heqing's voice was even. "All right."
Over the phone, things seemed even more awkward, with even less to talk about. Lin Fengzhi made a little small talk before hanging up on the pretext of having class.
Billboards flashed past outside the subway. Yan Heqing put away his phone. The train gradually came to a stop, and when the doors opened, the commuters racing against the clock surged out like water through a floodgate.
Yan Heqing brought up the rear, leaving the subway station at an unhurried pace.
It was eight thirty in the morning, and there were no customers yet. Yan Heqing and another male server were on the early shift today.
Yan Heqing changed into his uniform and bent over to arrange cakes in the dessert display.
The other server curled his lip disdainfully. He couldn't stand Yan Heqing.
The manager isn't here. Who's he trying to impress with all that pointless hard work?
He waved a hand. "I'm going to the bathroom. Watch the shop for now."
Picking up his phone, he went outside to find somewhere to slack off.
Yan Heqing didn't react, concentrating on arranging the cakes.
He didn't like desserts, but colorful things that smelled sweet always lifted people's spirits.
"One black coffee and a slice of cream cake."
A voice sounded above his head.
Yan Heqing straightened, a polite smile on his lips. "Welcome. Just a moment, please."
He turned to make the coffee.
Lu Lin watched his straight, slender back without looking away until Yan Heqing returned with the coffee.
The shop was very quiet. With his head slightly lowered, the young man put the lid on the cup and placed it in a paper bag, then slid open the dessert display and picked out, with great precision, the little square cake on the left with slightly more cream.
Lu Lin said nothing, quietly waiting for Yan Heqing to package it. His pocket vibrated faintly, and he took out his phone.
Glancing at the caller, he answered. "What is it?"
"This Friday is my last bachelor night before the wedding. You have to do me the honor of coming, President Lu." There was a smile in Xie Yunjie's voice.
Yan Heqing had finished packaging it, even tying a bow with a purple ribbon, just like the one he'd given Lu Lin last night. Lu Lin's gaze shifted slightly, and he asked evenly, "Where?"
"Haven't decided yet," Xie Yunjie said. "How about you pick, President Lu? It's not easy finding somewhere you're happy with."
Just then, Yan Heqing put the cake into the paper bag holding the coffee, straightened the corners, and set it on the counter in front of Lu Lin.
He didn't speak, waiting for Lu Lin to finish his call.
"Decide for yourself," Lu Lin said mildly. "As long as the cocktails are good."
"Cocktails, huh? Then OG, Friday at eight." Xie Yunjie laughed. "Our bartender Xiao Yan starts work at eight."
Lu Lin hung up and took out his wallet to pay. "How much?"
Yan Heqing smiled. "No need. It's my treat."
"Half price today too?"
"Not today, but I get a twenty-percent staff discount."
Lu Lin took out two banknotes and set them on the counter. "Treat me next time it's half price."
He picked up the bag and left.
Yan Heqing watched Lu Lin walk away, his fine, thick lashes trembling slightly.
Friday, then.
Chapter 22: 022
Lu Lin appeared at the company carrying a paper bag, and word quickly spread through all sorts of small company group chats.
[Is President Lu's paper bag from the coffee shop downstairs?]
[President Lu bought coffee himself?]